Pastor Tim’s January Message

Happy New Year!

We are eager to install our new Church Council on Sunday, January 4, 2026. We held elections at the end of last month’s Council meeting, and we elected John Keadle as President and Sherry Sension as Vice-President. Please join with me in congratulating them on their new positions of leadership. We look forward to their terms of service. The following are appointed positions: Judy Keadle as Secretary, Sue Kearney as Financial Secretary, Wayland Smedley as Treasurer, and Liese Faircloth as Assistant Treasurer. We thank God for their willingness to serve faithfully among us. The administration of our congregation is in more than competent hands.

We wish to thank Liese Faircloth for her 13 years of tireless service as our Treasurer. She has done an exemplary job. Jerry Rimmer, moreover, will be stepping down from decades of service as the chair of our Property Committee. We could never thank him enough for his calm demeanor, pleasant disposition, and faithful service. He will continue to serve into this new year until a replacement can be found. We hope that it will be soon. Please be in prayer about this and let us know if you or someone you know would be able to serve in this capacity.

We look forward to seeing you at our annual Congregational Meeting on Sunday, January 25, at 10:15 am, between worship services. We will give thanks to God for all the ministry God has entrusted to us here at St. Philip, as we celebrate our service and outreach to our neighbors whom we have been able to bless physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. You won’t want to miss it!

I encourage you to take some time to reflect on the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Marting Luther King, Jr. this month, as the nation commemorates his birthday. We celebrate the advances in justice, peace, and opportunity that our nation and world have achieved, even as we lament the places where we have failed – sometimes egregiously -- and recommit ourselves to the long struggle for righteousness in all relationships and for the Kingdom of God in all its fullness.

I look forward to the year to come, and it continues to be my honor to serve alongside you as your pastor.

Sharing the Love of Christ, Pastor Tim